Electrotherapeutic element



May 28, 1935. L. LUDWIG 2,002,744

ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC ELEMENT Filed Jan 20, 1935 1 INVENTOR 1 0111s L ud vi 2M .Jiw u TORNEY Patented May 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to an element to be used in an electric socket for generating either ultra violet or infra red rays, or both, for therapeutic purposes. It has for its main object to provide a unit containing all the parts necessary for the creation of such rays, and which may be operated by its mere insertion in a suitable electric socket or outlet. Another object is to provide means for not only compensating for the wear of the carbon electrodes employed, but also for providing sensitive means for correctly adjusting the distance between the tips of these electrodes. A further object is to provide an element of simple construction which can be installed and operated without any special skill required on the part of the user, which has no parts easily broken or apt to get out of order, and which can be manufactured at a low cost.

These and various other objects and advantages will be readily understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawing of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which, however, modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the element,

Fig. 2 a cross-sectional side elevation taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 a top view.

Referring now to all the views, the element consists of a body member ID, made of insulating and heat-resisting material, which is preferably cone-shaped at its upper end II and provided with a threaded, metal ferrule at its lower end. Two oppositely-disposed seats l3 and I 4 are molded on the upper end of the body member and in these seats holders l5 and I6 are secured by means of rivets l1 and IS. A carbon electrode is is secured in the holder I5 by a screw 20, while a carbon electrode 2| is inserted in a socket formed in the end of a screw 22 which is threaded in the holder iii. A hand wheel 23, made of in sulating material, is secured on the screw to facilitate its manipulation. I

- A resistance coil 24 is wound in a spiral groove formed on the conical part of the body member. The lower end of this coil is connected to the ferrule by a lead 25, and the upper end 26 is secured under the head of the rivet ll. A bolt 21 is inserted through an opening 28 in the lower part of the body member. A lead 29, which connects the bolt with the holder I6, is clamped under the head of the bolt by a nut 30. This nut and the ferrule l2 constitute the electric terminals of the element.

The element functions in the following manner. When the ferrule I2 is inserted in a socket,

a current will flow through this ferrule, through lead 25, resistance coil 24, end 26, rivet H, holder l5; and, when the carbon electrodes are in con- 5 tact with each other, through these electrodes and back through the holder l6, lead 29, and bolt 21 to the nut 30,-or vice versa. If the hand wheel 23 is then turned so that the tips of the electrodes are slowly separated, an arc will form 10 between these tips. This are gives off ultra violet rays.

When the infra red rays, given off by the re sistance coil 24, are desired, the element is inserted in the socket of an ordinary parabolic re 1 flector, so that these rays will be collected and reflected by the reflector. When used in this manner the carbon electrodes may be either spaced apart so as to utilize the ultra violet rays simultaneously with the infra red, or they may be 20 in contact with each other so as not to are and thus not give off any rays.

While I have shown the body member of a conical shape, it is evident that although such shape ispreferable, it is not essential .to the 25 proper functioning of the device. In like manner, resistance elements other than spirally wound coils might be employed, and other means than the threaded ferrule might be used for attaching the element to a source of current.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention discloses a very simple, convenient, efflcient and inexpensive appliance for accomplishing the results desired.

Having described my invention and its object, 35-

what I claim as new and wish Letters Patent is:

1. An element of the class described comprising an insulating and heating resisting cupshaped body member having a rear extension, a 40 threaded contact shell secured on said rear extension, a pair of oppositely-disposed and sidewardly-extending lugs formed on the outer end of the body member, a pair of electrode supports secured on said lugs, a pair of electrodes mounted in said supports, a resistance element spirally to protect by wound on the outside of the cup-shaped part of the body member, an opening formed centrally in the rear extension of the body member, a center contact secured in said opening, and the re- 0 sistance element connected in series with the electrodes and with the threaded shell and the center contact.

2. An element of the class described comprising an insulating and heating resisting cup-shaped body member having a rear extension, a threaded contact shell secured on said rear extension, 9. pair of oppositely-disposed and sidewardly-extending lugs formed on the outer end of the body member, a pair of electrode supports secured on said lugs, a pair of electrodes mounted, in said supports, a resistance element spirally wound on the outside of the cup-shaped part of the body member, an opening formed centrally in the rear extension of the body member, a center contact secured in said opening, the resistance element connected in series with the electrodes and with the threaded shell and the center contact, and manually operated means for separating the electrodes and varying the distance between them.

LOUIS LUDWIG. 

